05 November 2004	Friday	21 Ramazan 1425

ISLAMABAD, Nov 4: The government has decided to do away with the levies force in Balochistan and give full powers to police to control law and order in the province which has witnessed an upsurge in sabotage activities in recent days.

Talking to Dawn here on Thursday, official sources said the interior ministry had finalized a Rs9.6 billion security plan under which the so-called 'B' areas in the province would be converted into 'A' areas for which 9,866 personnel would be recruited.

Separately, 6,000 men will be hired and trained to be inducted into a new force - Balochistan Constabulary - which would assist police as a 'reserve force' for ensuring effective maintenance of law and order in the province. The estimated cost of raising the force is Rs4.1 billion.

The sources said that deteriorating law and order had necessitated the creation of a well-trained and well-equipped reserve force in sufficient numbers which could operate throughout the province. The main objective of the force will be to assist the police and district administration in the maintenance of law and order. It will act as a reserve and carry out tasks relating to law and order which are beyond the capacity of police and district administration.

The sources said that it had been decided at the highest level that the division of regions into 'A' and 'B' areas would be done away with and the entire province would be placed under the control of one law-enforcement agency - police - as is the case in other provinces. The exercise will cost Rs5.5 billion, they added.

The plan will be carried out in five stages and on an average five revenue districts will be converted into 'A' areas every year. The federal government will provide additional funding to the interior ministry to undertake what is being termed a crucial task, to improve law and order, especially to satisfy foreign investors in the province.

From the law-enforcement perspective, at present districts are divided into 'A' and 'B' areas - the former being under the control of police and the latter under the levies.

The 25 districts in Balochistan which at present are categorized as 'B' area will be converted into 'A' area under a phased programme spread over five years. The regions which would be converted into 'A' areas in the first phase include Quetta, Lasbela, Nasirabad, Gwadar, Pishin and Kila Abdullah.

In the second phase, Sibi, Bolan, Zhob, Kila Saifullah and Kech would be converted, while in the third phase, Loralai, Musa Khel, Jhal Magsi, Mustung and Ziarat will be converted into 'A' area. The fourth phase will include Awaran, Kalat, Chaghai, Barkhan and Dera Bugti. In the fifth phase, Khuzdar, Panjgur, Kharan and Kohlu will be converted into 'A' areas.

The plan, the sources said, would help in better maintenance of law and order in the province which was a pre-requisite both for the economic and social development and for attracting foreign investments in Balochistan.